By Sofia presented the quarterly numbers at a kitchen-table meeting that she calls a "board meeting" and that I call "dinner with a spreadsheet." Revenue is strong. Margins are healthy. The Anapra bakery is growing. The cookbook continues to sell (slowly, steadily, the way all good things sell — not in a rush but in a reliable trickle). The numbers are good. The good is the spreadsheet. The spreadsheet is the love.
After Sofia closed the laptop and the “board meeting” was officially adjourned, I found myself standing at the counter the way I always do when something feels worth marking — not with fanfare, but with dough. The Anapra bakery has always spoken in small, reliable gestures, the kind that compound quietly over time, and these cheesecake rolls feel exactly like that: unhurried, a little indulgent, the sort of thing you make not because you have to, but because the numbers were good and the evening deserved something soft and sweet to close it.
Cheesecake Rolls
Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 50 min | Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 large egg
- For the filling:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 egg yolk
- For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tbsp whole milk
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare. Heat oven to 375°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Make the dough. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in cold butter using a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and egg, then stir into the flour mixture just until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Make the filling. Beat the softened cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and egg yolk together with a hand mixer or fork until completely smooth and spreadable.
- Roll and fill. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 12x10-inch rectangle. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border along one long edge.
- Roll and slice. Starting from the filled long edge, roll the dough snugly into a log. Using a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss, cut the log into 12 equal rounds. Arrange the rolls cut-side up in the prepared pan.
- Bake. Bake for 22–25 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden and the centers are set. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Glaze and serve. Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over the warm rolls and serve immediately, or allow to cool fully before storing.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 275 | Protein: 5g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 33g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 215mg